Move to name new bridge gets flack from some Central Louisiana legislators

5:15 AM,
Jun. 20, 2014

A new bridge is being built to replace the O.K. Allen Bridge (left) over the Red River. A bill that would name the new bridge the Curtis-Coleman Bridge is awaiting the governor?s signature, but some officials say the process used in advancing the bill thwarted public discussion.

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Rep. Herbert Dixon admits his legislation to name the new Red River bridge after two former black officials would not have succeeded through the normal process, so he had to use some ingenuity to get the bill to the governor's desk.

The move by Dixon to name the structure the Curtis-Coleman Memorial Bridge is drawing criticism, not because of the officials who would be honored, but because of the way the process was handled.

Dixon, D-Alexandria, added it as an amendment to a bill that affected a road name in South Louisiana. The amendment drew little fanfare, and the bill made its way through the ...